PIPER PA28 — Hillsboro, OH, 2008

PIPER PA28 — Hillsboro, OH

2 fatal

Date	May 30, 2008
Location	Hillsboro, OH
Aircraft	PIPER PA28
Purpose of flight	Personal
Conditions	Day · Visual Meteorological Cond
Phase / occurrence	Prior to flight Aircraft maintenance event
Pilot age	74
Pilot total time	962 hrs · Building experience
Time in type	Unknown
Fatalities	2

Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane due to an in-flight fire as a result of a corrosion hole in the muffler that was not identified by the mechanic. Contributing to the accident was the improper emergency procedure performed for an in-flight fire.

NTSB findings

Aircraft-Aircraft power plant-Engine exhaust-(general)-Fatigue/wear/corrosion - C
Personnel issues-Task performance-Inspection-Scheduled/routine inspection-Maintenance personnel - C
Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Use of checklist-Pilot - F
Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot - C

What happened

The airplane had undergone five previous annual inspections performed by a mechanic where the airplane was based. The airplane departed its base airport to Hillsboro, Ohio, where the airplane's autopilot was worked on by an avionics repair station. After the repair had been done, both pilots departed Hillsboro, but returned after noticing smoke in the cockpit. A check of the cockpit and autopilot by an avionics technician did not reveal any discrepancies associated with those areas. The airplane then again departed Hillsboro. Witnesses reported that after takeoff there was smoke observed coming from the front of the airplane. The witnesses then saw the airplane bank left, descend, strike a tree with its left wing, and then impact in a fallow corn field about 1/2 mile south of the airport. An examination of the airplane's fuel selector showed that it was still in the "on" position. The flaps were in the fully retracted position, which was not consistent with the airplane manufacturer's fire and emergency landing procedures. An examination of the airplane revealed a hole in the muffler, which also exhibited a loss of material due to internal corrosion. The severity of the corrosion also suggests that the hole in the muffler should have been evident at earlier annual inspections.

An editorial "what led to it / how to avoid it" analysis for this accident is generated separately and will appear here.